Meets

Prospective members who would like to join a meet please contact the Meet Secretary via meets@climbers-club.co.uk

Oktoberfest Joint Meet CC/DAV Breisgau/Hochschwarzwald/Baden-Baden 2017

Date: Saturday 30th September 2017 to Sunday 8th October 2017
Venue: Black Forest, Germany

Oktoberfest in the Schwarzwald from 30th September to 8th October - Latest Update 13th June

I choose to ignore the pejorative remarks made by a certain hut custodian to inform those who might be interested that I have been working extremely hard to ensure that those of you who intend to come for a https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faCh8gmEGDs and enjoy a week of homemade Black Forest gateau, excellent Pils, stunning surroundings and the gneissest (sic) rock in southern Germany this October will have a truly relaxed time.

I have now made a provisional booking for 15 places at this DAV hut: http://www.dav-freiburg.de/de/huette/ramshalde.php I am also about to contact my Freiburg chapter DAV President and the hut custodian to warn them that the CC are coming to town and have invited my fellow DAV members to attend and advise us on the best artisan beer gardens, the finest Wurst, veggie and/or fleshy, and, if absolutely necessary a selection of friendly crags.

I will also endeavour to ascertain what facilities might be available for those of you who intend to pollute the pristine air of my home hills with your gas guzzling winnebagos.

These two pics of my friend Liz, show what delights are in store, but I will need to have some serious confirmation of intent to attend. My German colleagues are very keen, as am i, on faultless organisation, planning and administration so please let me know asap if you are going to attend.

EasyJet fly out of Gatwick, Bristol, Manchester and Edinburgh to Basle. sample fare ex Gatwick for the period could be as low as £60 return. Transfer by coach to Freiburg (1 hour) is £20 or I might even meet you in my own eco friendly VW 7 seater camper.

The Baden Baden, Berne, Vosges and Stuttgart crags are within reach. Mountain biking is also amazing.

Some info about the nature of the climbing: "Briefly, think Borrowdale x Tremadog with more trees and steeper mountains. The Schwarzwald climbs tend to be single or 2 pitches. with glue-ins and lower offs. Grades are possibly a bit harder than your usual sport French/Spanish and bolts are more spaced so a small rack of wires and cams is useful. 60m single ropes are the norm but I've used doubles to good effect. Walk ins are usually comfortably short, if sometimes quite steep. many of the locals use bikes to get to the crags and there is an amazing network of cycle paths in both town and country. Bike hire is very reasonable. My impression after a year climbing here is that it is Fun! For those with higher ambitions, there is excellent limestone, granite and sandstone within easy reach."

Original extended details follow below....

A German friend, neighbour and fellow climber who lived for some years in St Agnes and has fond memories of Carn Gowla and West Penwith, helped compile the latest guidebook to the Schwarzwald, which contains many excellent routes throughout the grades, sport and trad and would be happy to help with co-ordinating the meet.

Apart from the local crags, the gneiss of Baden-Baden, the Pfalz sandstone and the Vosges are within relatively easy reach. The DAV has a whole series of excellent huts throughout the region. Apart from the climbing, the walking and mountain biking is world class, the local beer and wine superb and cheap.

The autumn is a relatively quiet time for CC meets perhaps due to the weather but here we generally get cool nights but fine, sunny days. Those who have experienced previous meets I have “run” will probably be prepared for the unexpected, but combined, this time, with the friendly efficiency of the DAV, I’m sure we can arrange some good climbing and great company as well as hopefully forging links with fellow climbers in Europe; surely more important now following the crazy result of the referendum, than ever before. My email address hasn’t changed so do get in touch with either me or Peri if you might be interested in attending.

PS. There are regular and very cheap EasyJet flights to Basel (1hr from Freiburg) from Gatwick, Manchester and Bristol. I would be happy to meet any arrivals and through the DAV can arrange local accommodation/camping at discounted rates. I’ve just driven back from UK via Calais, Belgium and Luxembourg in under 7 hours stopping for fuel in Luxembourg at 75p a litre!

PPS - Iain says this place may also be a good option for accomodation http://www.lochmuehl.de

Meet Coordinator(s): Iain Peters

How to attend: Contact meet coordinator

Return to meets list

If you have any ideas of venues for further meets please contact the Meets Secretary. If you have never organised a meet and would like to contribute to the Club then you may find it useful to read the Meets Guidance.

To provide proposed meet information complete form…